Andrew Brookes

A Conservative Party campaigner with links to Boston has launched a ‘handbook’ to try to combat the rise of UKIP in the wake of the party winning its first MP.

Dr Lee Rotherham is from Gosberton Risegate and worked for former Boston MP Sir Richard Body. He campaigned on a number of issues, including fighting the Common Fisheries Policy.

His booklet ‘Manning the Pumps – A handbook for salvaging the Eurosceptic credentials of the Conservative Party’ has been launched today by the Freedom Association and features a picture of Boston on the front page.

A spokesman said: “Today marks the first time that voters have elected for a representative from the UK Independence Party to enter the UK Parliament. A key reason for this is a dissatisfaction amongst voters with the strategy of the main Westminster parties – especially over issues that are influenced by the European Union.

“What is needed is a clear strategy from the Conservative Party to defend UK interests and provide reassurance to the British public that its concerns are being taken seriously.”

Boston and Skegness is a strong target for UKIP at next year’s General Election - with one recent poll predicting them to win with 46 per cent of the vote.

His list includes ‘letting UKIP make its own mistakes’ rather than attacking its members and forming a Eurosceptic ‘strategy cell’ as well as an inner policy circle populated with strong anti-EU figures.

He suggests names such as Lord Tebbit, John Redwood, Dr Liam Fox and South Holland and the Deepings MP John Hayes be a key part of that policy group.

Dr Rotherham said: “This is a rare opportunity. Achievement, after all, is vision plus motion. A pointy stick sometimes helps: the polls now provide the incentive to get things right.”

Dr Rotherham was on the three-man shortlist to be the Conservative Party’s police and crime commissioner candidate - losing out to Grantham county councillor Richard Davies – and has twice unsuccessfully stood for election for the party.

What do you think? Is Dr Rotherham right? Post your thoughts below or email andrew.brookes@jpress.co.uk